Self-locking trim frame for built-in cooktop

ABSTRACT

A top-mounted built-in cooktop is mounted in the countertop of a kitchen cabinet. Assembled on the peripheral rim of the cooktop is a self-locking trim frame of the present invention which is of flexible material to be stretchable over the rim and held in place without the need of additional fastening means.

United States Patent 1191 Dec. 23, 1975 Olthuis [5 SELF-LOCKING TRIM FRAME FOR 3.624.352 11/1911 Deaton et al. [26/39 x BUILT-[N COQKTOP 3,679.870 7/l972 Opp 2l9/464 X 3,785,364 lll974 Reid. Jr. et al. l26/39 [75] Inventor: Eugene G. Olthuis, Louisville, Ky.

73 Ass' General Electric C l 1 lgnee Louisville, Ky. ompany Primary Examiner-Kennetl'i W. Sprague [22] Filed: Dec. 19, I974 [21] Appl. No: 534,580 [57] ABSTRACT Cl 126/214 A; [26/39 J; 219/464 A top-mounted built-in cooktop is mounted in the Ill!- (12 F24C H053 countertop of a kitchen cabinet. Assembled on the pel Field of 126/214 39 ripheral rim of the cooktop is a self-locking trim frame 2 5. 464 of the present invention which is of flexible material to be stretchable over the rim and held in place without [56] References Cited the need of additional fastening means.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.60.827 lO/l97l 2l9/464 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec.23, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,927,658

US. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,927,658

SELF-LOCKING TRIM FRAME FOR BUILT-IN COOKTOP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a decorative trim frame that is fitted around the peripheral rim of a top-mounted built-in appliance such as an electric or gas cooktop or a kitchen sink or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Trim frames have been used for many years with built-in appliances that are mounted in an opening in a kitchen countertop. One example is shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,727 of Bohdan Hurko which is assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention. In this I-Iurko design, the cooktop is flush mounted within an opening in the countertop. A trim frame of T-sl'nped transverse cross-section is fastened to the perimeter of the cooktop by a series of spring clips. This trim frame is in fact a mounting frame because the head of the T overlies the peripheral edge of the opening and serves as the support means for the cooktop.

One limitation of a flush mounted design is that the cooktop must be made to fit a given size opening. If this cooktop design and mounting frame were used in the replacement market, it would require a large number of cooktop sizes in the model line of a particular manufacturer in order to replace the different sizes of cooktops of many different manufacturers now in use throughout the country.

A more universal design of a built-in cooktop for the replacement market is a top mounted design as is shown in FIG. 2 of the Hurko U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,727, where the peripheral rim of the top cover plate of the cooktop is oversized so as to overlie the peripheral edge of the opening in the countertop and serve as the support means. Such a top mounted design can be modified further as a universal design for the replacement market by increasing the overall size of the top cover plate of the cooktop so it will be larger than all countertop openings in existence.

One limitation of a top mounted built-in cook-top design is that the down-turned flange of the peripheral rim of the top cover plate of the cooktop is exposed to view. The majority of such cover plates are coated with a porcelain enamel finish on the exterior side, although some few models are of stainless steel. For the porcelain enamelled models, it is diflicult to uniformly cover the edge of the down-turned flange with procelain enamel to prevent edge corrosion for the entire design life of the cooktop. Hence, the need for a trim frame of the present invention to cover the peripheral rim of the cooktop, and thereby shield the down-turned flange from view.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a self-locking decorative trim frame for use with a top mounted built-in appliance such as a cooktop or kitchen sink so as to eliminate the need for separate fastening means.

A further object of the present invention is to render the trim frame of the class described highly flexible in nature so it may be stretched over the peripheral rim of the appliance until it snaps in place and becomes rigidly afiixed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in accordance with one form thereof, relates to a built-in appliance with a peripheral rim that is covered with a self-locking trim frame of flexible material so it may be stretched over the rim. The trim frame has a bottom flange with locking means for engaging a down-turned flange of the rim, as well as a top flange for overlying the top edge of the rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a top-mounted, built-in cooktop supporting a self-locking trim frame embodying the present invention around its peripheral rim.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional, elevational view on an enlarged scale through the peripheral rim of the cooktop, taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the bottom flange of the trim frame in locking engagement with the lower edge of the down-turned flange of the peripheral rim.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 across one corner of the four-sided trim frame showing the details of the bottom flange of the trim frame and the plurality of notches in the bottom flange as well as the series of lanced tangs for effecting the locking action with the down-turned flange of the cooktop.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3, through one comer of the trim frame to show its special construction.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional, elevational view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to a consideration of the drawings, and in particular to the top perspective view of FIG. 1, there is shown a kitchen countertop 10 which is adapted to be mounted at about waist height on the top of a kitchen storage cabinet 12. A cooktop 14 is shown built into the countertop. This cooktop is provided with a plurality of surface heating means 16 which may be either electrical resistance heating elements or gas burners as is conventional in this art. A control panel 18 is combined with the cooktop 14 and it contains a plurality of manual selector means 20 for controlling the heatin g rates of the surface heating means 16.

As is best seen in FIG. 5, the cooktop 14 comprises a rough-in box 24 and a top cover plate 26. The rough-in box 24 is large, shallow, tub-like configuration of generally rectangular form having a bottom wall 28 and upright side walls 30 with an outwardly directed, top peripheral flanges 32. A rectangular shaped opening 34 is cut out of the countertop l0, and the rough-in box flanges 32 are adapted to be supported from the peripheral edge of the countertop I0 that defines the opening 34. A suitable adjustable clamping bolt 38 is installed through suitable, outwardly directed, elongated slots 40 in the mounting flange 32. Each clamping bolt 38 includes an L-shaped gripper 4] and a nut 43 for making a clamping engagement with the underside of the peripheral edge of the countertop. The rough-in box 24 is designed for the replacement market to be small in size so as to be able to lit the smallest countertop openings when replacing existing countertop installations. Similarly, the mounting flanges 32 are designed to be oversize so as to fit the largest size of countertop openings.

The top cover plate 26 of the cooktop 14 is a generally flat plate of sheet metal that is adapted to overlie the entire rough-in box 24. The cover plate 26 has a peripheral rim with a slight beveled edge 42 and a downturned flange 44 as is best seen in FIG. 2. The exposed surface of the top cover plate 26 is coated with a porcelain enamel finish 46.

The present invention relates to a self-locking trim frame 48 of thin sheet stock of stainless steel or the like material. The thickness of material is on the order of 0.018 inches. It is difiicult to uniformly cover the lower edge of the flange 44 with the porcelain enamel finish 46, hence, the trim frame 48 circumvents this manufacturing problem. This trim frame 48 is a four-sided frame, as is seen in FIG. 1, which is formed from a straight section of stock with 4 mitered sections which are folded at right angles to form four corners 50, and a butt or overlapping joint at 52 to hold the frame together. The mitered corners 50 are joined together by a short strap 54 that extends across the mitered joint and is welded at each end to the frame as at 56. The center 58 of the strap 54 is bowed outwardly from the frame in the area overlying the mitered joint so that the opposing edges of the mitered joint may be turned inwardly slightly as at 60, as seen in FIG. 4. This eliminates all sharp edges on the outer surface of the trim frame corners so as to prevent the occurrence of cut fingers and snags with cleaning cloths.

The trime frame 48, when viewed in the transverse cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, has a bottom flange 64 with locking means for engaging the edge of the downturned flange 44 of the peripheral rim of the cooktop cover plate 26. The distal end of the bottom flange 64 has an up-turned edge 65 to engage behind the edge of the flange 44. Rising from the bottom flange 64 is a vertical side portion 66 on the outer side of the trim frame. Extending inwardly from the top edge of the vertical side portion 66 is an inclined top flange 68 which is adapted to overlie a portion of the beveled edge 42 of the cooktop cover 26.

Both the vertical side portion 66 and the inclined top flange 68 are continuous surfaces, but the bottom flange 64 is not. The nature of the bottom flange 64 is best seen in the fragmentary bottom plan view of FIG. 3. The bottom flange 64 includes a series of spaced notches 72 which have a depth 74 that reaches back to the vertical side portion 66 and a wide width 76 which is about equal to the remaining width of the bottom flange 64 between two adjacent notches 72. The func tion of the notches 72 is to increase the flexibility of the trim frame 48 as a whole and of the bottom flange 64 in particular. Within certain of the notches 72 is a short, upwardly inclined, lanced tang 80 which cooperate in unison with the up-turned edge 65 of the bottom flange 64 to pinch the lower edge of the down-turned flange 44 of the cooktop cover therebetween. There would be two or more tangs 80 for each one of the four sides of the trim frame 48. Notice in FIG. 3 that the bottom flange 64 is spaced away from the comer portion 50 by the presence of the notches 72 starting at the corners. Thus it can be seen by weakening the bottom flange 64 by the large number and size of the notches 72, the trim frame 48 is rendered stretchable and easily capable of 4 slipping over the peripheral rim of the cover plate 26 until the up-turned edge 65 of the bottom flange 64 and the upwardly inclined tangs engage on opposite sides of the lower edge of the flange 44 and thereby lock the frame 48 on the cover plate 26. The vertical distance between the bottom flange 64 and the top flange 68 is slightly less than the height of the flange 44 so the trim frame exerts a clamping action on the peripheral rim of the cover plate 26 and is rigid therewith.

The cover plate 26 is adapted to be lowered over the rough-in box 24 thereby completely covering the box from view. The bottom flange 64 of the trim frame is captured under the flange 44 of the cover plate, and the bottom flange carries the weight of the cover plate which further irnmobilizes the trim frame and prevents it from moving.

The underside of the cover plate 26 includes a plurality of mounting brackets 84 which are supported from the cover plate and are capable of receiving fastening screws 86 therethrough for engagement into the side wall 30 of the rough-in box 24. These fastening screws 86 are installed by reaching down through an opening 88 in the cover plate 26 after the surface heating unit 16 or gas burner 16 is moved out of place temporarily.

Modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in this art, therefore, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that it is intended to cover all modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of this invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. An appliance adapted to be supported in an opening in a supporting structure, said appliance having a peripheral rim adapted to overlie the peripheral edge of the said opening, at least some of the weight of the appliance being carried on said peripheral edge of the opening through the said peripheral rim, the said peripheral rim including a down-turned flange; the invention comprising a self-locking trim frame of flexible sheet material encircling the peripheral rim of the appliance, said trim frame having a bottom flange with locking means for engaging the down-turned flange of the said peripheral rim, said trim frame also having a top flange for overlying the top portion of the said peripheral rim, said trim frame being stretchable to slip over the said peripheral rim so when it is released in place it is held firmly therewith.

2. An appliance as recited in claim 1 wherein the said bottom flange of the trim frame includes an up-turned edge at the distal end thereof that is engagable inside the bottom edge of the down-tumed flange of the peripheral rim, the trim frame being held in place by a clamping spring action exerted between the top and bottom flanges of the trim frame.

3. An appliance as recited in claim 2 wherein the bottom flange of the trim frame includes a series of spaced notches for increasing the flexibility of the trim frame.

4. An appliance as recited in claim 2 wherein the bottom flange of the trim frame includes a series of lanced tangs cooperating with the up-turned edge at the distal end of the bottom flange for pinching the lower edge of the downturned flange of the peripheral rim therebetween.

5. An appliance as recited in claim 4 wherein the bottom flange also includes a series of spaced notches for increasing the flexibility of the trim frame and the ease of stretching the frame around the peripheral rim 3,927,658 6 and into its locking position said top flange at the outer side of the frame, the said mmzz mrsazi'zzf wpflmge beingm them flange inclined at a slight upward angle.

having a transverse cross-section that includes a vertical side portion joining the said bottom flange with the 5 

1. An appliance adapted to be supported in an opening in a supporting structure, said appliance having a peripheral rim adapted to overlie the peripheral edge of the said opening, at least some of the weight of the appliance being carried on said peripheral edge of the opening through the said peripheral rim, the said peripheral rim including a down-turned flange; the invention comprising a self-locking trim frame of flexible sheet material encircling the peripheral rim of the appliance, said trim frame having a bottom flange with locking means for engaging the down-turned flange of the said peripheral rim, said trim frame also having a top flange for overlying the top portion of the said peripheral rim, said trim frame being stretchable to slip over the said peripheral rim so when it is released in place it is held firmly therewith.
 2. An appliance as recited in claim 1 wherein the said bottom flange of the trim frame includes an up-turned edge at the distal end thereof that is engagable inside the bottom edge of the down-turned flange of the peripheral rim, the trim frame being held in place by a clamping spring action exerted between the top and bottom flanges of the trim frame.
 3. An appliance as recited in claim 2 wherein the bottom flange of the trim frame includes a series of spaced notches for increasing the flexibility of the trim frame.
 4. An appliance as recited in claim 2 wherein the bottom flange of the trim frame includes a series of lanced tangs cooperating with the up-turned edge at the distal end of the bottom flange for pinching the lower edge of the downturned flange of the peripheral rim therebetween.
 5. An appliance as recited in claim 4 wherein the bottom flange also includes a series of spaced notches for increasing the flexibility of the trim frame and the ease of stretching the frame around the peripheral rim and into its locking position.
 6. An appliance as recited in claim 5 wherein the said trim frame has at least four side sections, each section having a transverse cross-section that includes a vertical side portion joining the said bottom flange with the said top flange at the outer side of the frame, the said top flange being wider than the bottom flange and also inclined at a slight upward angle. 